Olmert, Ehud

Olmert, Ehud, 1945-, Israeli politician. After serving in the army and working as a lawyer, he won election to the Knesset in 1973 as a Likud candidate. Under Prime Minister Shamir he was minister without portfolio (1988-90) and minister of health (1990-92). Olmert was elected mayor of Jerusalem in 1993, resigned from the Knesset in 1998, and unsuccessfully challenged Ariel Sharon for the Likud party leadership in 1999. Subsequently a close Sharon ally, Olmert ended a decade as mayor to return to the Knesset and serve under Prime Minister Sharon as deputy prime minister (2003-6) and minister of trade, industry, and labor (2003-6) and finance (2005-6). Olmert supported Sharon's founding of the centrist Kadima party in 2005, and when Sharon suffered an incapacitating stroke in Jan., 2006, Olmert became acting prime minister. Olmert led Kadima to a plurality in the Mar., 2006, elections and became prime minister the next month. His government was weakened by its largely unsuccessful 2006 invasion of Lebanon, and an independent report was critical of his handling of it. Further weakened by an investigation into his alleged acceptance of bribes in 2008, he resigned as Kadima leader in Sept., 2008; he was indicted on corruption charges in Aug., 2009.

For other uses, see Ehud (given name).

Ehud ben‑Gera (Hebrew: אֵהוּד בֶּן‑גֵּרָא, Standard Ehud ben‑Gera Tiberian ʾĒhûḏ ben‑Gērāʾ; from the Hebrew root א‑ה‑ד, "liking, sympathy, support"), in the Biblical Book of Judges (3:12-4:1) was the Judge who fought against the Moabites, which were ruled by King Eglon. Ehud had made a short double edged sword about a foot and a half long useful for a stabbing thrust. He then hid the sword by strapping it to his right thigh under his clothing and met the king under the pretenses of giving him tribute. Being left-handed, he could conceal the sword on the side where it was not expected.

Ehud then tricked Eglon by saying he had a secret message intended for the king. Eglon sent all of his attendants away to hear the message, and Ehud drew his sword, saying, "I have a message from God for you," and stabbed the king. Eglon was eviscerated by the blow, which punctured his intestines: "and the dirt came out." ("Dirt" here euphemistically refers to excrement; NOAB, Judges 3:21-22, footnote.)

After killing Eglon, Ehud locked the doors to the king's chamber and left. Eglon's assistants came back to check on the king but when they found the doors locked they assumed the king was relieving himself. They "waited to the point of embarrassment" until they finally unlocked the door and went in, where they found their king dead. Ehud escaped during this time and made it to the town of Seriah. He then led the tribe of Ephraim to seize the fords of the Jordan River, where they killed about 10,000 Moabite soldiers.

Ehud can be looked at as the opposite of the later judge Samson. He was just a normal man who was strengthened by God to kill the king of Moab. After the death of Eglon, king of Moab, there was peace in the land for 80 years.

Name

The name "Ehud" is not attested as a first name among Jews until the 20th Century. However, Zionism—as part of its nation-building process—strongly encouraged using the names of Jewish heroes and warriors of ancient times, including that of Ehud. As a result, it has become a common name in contemporary Israel.

Two Prime Ministers of Israel have had the first name Ehud: Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert.

Israelis named Ehud are often nicknamed "Udi."

See also

• Biblical judges
• Book of Judges

External links

• Articles:
• Book of Judges article (Jewish Encyclopedia)
• The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran (Chronology for Israel's Period of the Judges 1412 BCE to 1039 BCE)

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